Mud-gun for filling iron-notches of blast-furnaces.



No. 769,106. PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904- F. MCCARTHY.

MUD GUN FOR FILLING IRON NOTGHES OP BLAST FURNACES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inn- 69,106. PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904.

' I. MGOARTHY.

MUD GUN FOR FILLING IRON NOTGHES 0F BLAST FURNACES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1904. v

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- v N0 MODEL.

No. 769,106. I I PATENTED AUG. 30,1904.

. F. McCARTHY.

MUD GUN FOR FILLING IRON NOTI'GHES 0F BLAST FURNACES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1904.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET!!- ated by withdrawal of the gun.

' U ITED STATES Patented August 30, 19L4.

PATENT OFFICE.

MUD-GUN FOR FILLING lRON-NOTCHES OF BLAST-FURNACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,106, dated August 30,1904,

Application filed January 5, 1904.

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FELIX MCCARTHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pottstown, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mud-Guns for Filling Iron-Notches of Blast-Furnaces; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

therefrom.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for easily withdrawing the iron gun from the notch-hole without disturbing the mud or clay driven therein, as by suction cre- Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter made clearly apparent, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,'which are made a part of this application, and in which Figure l isa perspective view of my im-- proved notch-gun, showing the same ready to be swung into position for discharginga load of mud, clay, or other filling. Fig. 2 shows an elevation of my'improved notch-gun and cooperating parts. Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of my notch-gun and cooperating parts. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central section of the actuating-cylinder employed for holding my notch-gun in position to discharge its load of clay into the notch-hole. Fig. 5 is a longitudi'nal central sectionof my improved-notchg'un. Fig. 6 is a detail view of my mud-valve,

Serial No. 187,809. (No model.)

sectional view of my valve as taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 shows a suitable steamtight joint whereby the cooperating ends of a steam-pipe may have a relative movement.

Referring to the details of my invention and cooperating accessories, numerals will be employed, the same numeral applying to a corresponding part throughout the several views.

In illustrating my invention as applied to use 1 designates a blast-furnace of the usual or any preferred construction, provided, as is common, with a discharging-orifice or notchhole 2, and, as is well understood, it becomes absolutely necessary to provide asuitable stopper for this hole through which the molten metal is discharged at the end of each cast. The common method is to force clay or mud of suitable consistency into this discharginging the clay into the notch is now most often relied upon; but the great difliculty arising from the use of this form of plunger or mudgun is due to the fact that great force is required to hold the nozzle of the gun within the notch-hole, whereby the material within the plunger may be forced into position to close said hole. It is now common to employ a lever operated by a number of men to hold the mud-gun against rebounding at the instant the mud is forced from the nozzle into the notch-hole, and one part of my invention, therefore, relates to an appliance designed for the special purpose of reliably holding the gun in a discharging position without any receding movement until after the load of mud has been completely discharged, when the gun may be easily swung around in position for reloading.

Referring again to the numerals on the drawings, 3 designates the body portion of my mudgun, while 4 indicates the discharging-nozzle thereof, said nozzle being designed to enter the outer end of the iron notch-hole 2 when the gun is in position for discharging its load of mud or clay to stop said hole preparatory to an accumulation of molten metal for another cast.

5 designates the steam-cylinder, within which is operatively mounted the steam-actuated piston 6, having the piston-rod 7 passing through a stufiing-box 8 and having attached to its outer end a mud-driving piston 9, designed to be moved within a bore of the mud-cylinder 3. The steam and mud cylinders just described may be connected together in any preferred Way, as by the link -section 10, preferably formed integral at one end with the cylinderhead 11 and at the other end with the ring or collar 12,said parts being designed to be bolted to. a suitable flange upon the ends of the cylinders 3 and 5, said flanges being designated by the numeral 13. The link-section is pivotally connected with the clevis-like bracket 14, which latter is pivoted to the lower end of the link-section 15, the upper end of said link being attached to the crane 16, said crane being of proper character and size to support the entire mud-gun and actuating steam-cylinder therefor, said crane being movably supported in suitable brackets 17 and 18, carried by the column 19.

It Will be observedby reference to Fig. 5 that two steam-ports 20 and 21 are provided, one for each end of the steam-cylinder 5, said ports being properly connected, as by the supplypipes 22, with myimproved four-way valve 23, said valve being placed in communication with the steam-supply pipe 24, suitable joints 25 being provided in said supply-pipe to compensate for the changing position of the crane and my mud-gun. By reference to Figs. 5 and 6 it will also be observed that the nozzle-section proper, 4, of my mud-gun is separated from the body portion 3 thereof by my improved mud-valve, which consists of the diaphragm or valve proper, 26, adapted to be moved vertically in a suitable slot or waysas, for instance, a recess formed in the meeting faces of the two sections 3 and 4 of my gun, said sections being each provided with ,suitable apertured ears 27 held in union, as by the locking-bolt 28. The upper end of the valve 26 is pivotally connected in any preferred way to the controlling-lever 29, having a compensating 'slot 30 and properly fulcrumed upon the standard 31, and it is therefore obvious that by raising the free end of the lever 29 the mud-valve 26 will be elevated and that when said lever is released the valve will remain normally closed, the object of the valve, as hereinbefore stated, being to prevent the mud which has been driven into the notch-hole from being removed therefrom, as by suction, when the mud-piston 9 is withdrawn to permit the gun to be reloaded.

By reference to Figs. 7 and 8 it will be observed that my four-way valve (designated by the numeral 23 in Fig. 5 and other views) consists in detail of the main or body portion 32, which by reference to Fig. 7 is seen to be provided with four separate sources of supply or discharge, and Within this body portion I rotatably mount the valve-stem 33, having a suitable controlling-handle 34 and a stufiingbox 35. The valve-stem 33 is provided upon one side with a rib or lug 36, designed to fit a recess within the inner face of the valve proper, 37, and it is therefore obvious that as the steam enters through the supply-pipe 24 it may be sent out of either of the pipes 22 or through the pipe 38, it being understood that a suitable exhaust-port is also provided at a proper point.

7 It will be observed by reference to Fig. 2 that an additional column 39, complementary to the column 19, is provided, said columns being designed to support in suitable brackets the rock-shaft 41, said shaft being provided near its central portion with a pair of depending arms 42, rigidly connected to the shaft and separated sufliciently to receive between their lower ends the mud-cylinder 3, said lower ends being designed to engage the ears 27. The rock-shaft 41 is provided at one end with the rigid crank-arm 43, pivotally connected to the arm 44, carried by the lug or finger 45 upon the outer side of the steamcylinder 46, which latter is adapted to reciprocate upon the tubular piston-rod 47 of peculiar construction, as will be observed by reference to Fig. 4.

Inasmuch as the steam-cylinder 46 moves bodily and longitudinally upon the hollow piston-rod, it becomes desirable to firmly support said rod in a vertical position, which I accomplish by suitable brackets 48 and 49, secured to a contiguous part of the column 39 or 19, according to which end of the rockshaft 41 is extended to receive the controlling-crank 43. At a suitable point upon the stationary piston-rod 47 1 firmly secure the disk or piston proper, 50, it being understood that the piston-rod is made solid at this point, so that the bore above the piston 50 Will conimunicate with the port 51, and in like manner the lower end of the stationary piston-rod is tubular up to a point near the lower side of the piston 50 and provided with a suitable port 52. Both the upper and lower ends of the stationary piston-rod 47 are properly connected with the steam-supply pipes 53, said supply-pipe being placed in communication with my four-way valve, (indicated by the nu- IIO my improved notchgun will be clearly understood, though it may be stated that after the gun has been swung around in proper position bymeans of the crane 16 and loaded or supplied with a full charge of mud or clay of requisite consistency the loaded gun may be easily moved through themediation of said crane, so thatthe nozzle 4 will be in position to enter the discharging aperture or notchhole 2 and will rest between the lower ends of the arms 42, and it therefore follows that when steam is introduced into thesteam-cylinder 46 through'the steam-port 52 said cylinder will be moved bodily downward, incidentally moving the crank-arm 4:5 in the same direction and partially turning the rock-shaft 41 sufiicient to throw the pair of arms 42 inward toward the notch-hole and forcing the nozzle into the aperture 2, and while locked in this position by the full steam-pressure, which is left turned on within the cylinder 46, steam is then introduced into the steamcylinder 3, which drives the pistons 6 and 9 inward and forces the charge of mud, clay, or other material within the mud-cylinder 3 into the notch-hole, and when the mud-driving piston, 9 shall have been forced inward to its full extent the mud-valve 26 is forced downward through the mediation of the controlling-lever 29, thereby permitting the mud-piston to be withdrawn that another charge of mud may be placed within the cylinder 3, such withdrawal of the piston 9 being easily effected by introducing steam through the port 21, as will be readily understood. Obviously when the mud-valve is closed the mud-piston 9 may be withdrawn without disturbing, asby suction, any of the material placed within the notch-hole, thus making it possible to safely withdraw the nozzle of the gun from the notchhole to repeat the loads of charges as often as may be necessary to effect a complete closure thereof ready for the accumulation of another supply of molten metal.

From the foregoing description it is clear that by means of my improved four-way valve the operator is placed in complete control of the working parts of my mud-gun, inasmuch as when the valve is opened in one direction the steam passes down the stationary pistonrod and bodily moves the cylinder upward and when turned on in the other direction it travels'up the tubular piston-rod to the port Obviously the cylinder 46 may be actuated by any fluid-pressures, as by steam, water, air, gas, or the like, and I wish to comprehend all possible uses or means of actuation therefor. It will be understood that the controllingvalves maybe located at any desired point, as in a place properly sheltered from any material escaping from the notch-hole.

Inasmuch as the carrying-crane 16 may be easily moved so as to bring the mud-gun and steam-actuating cylinder therefor into or out of the discharging position and the nozzle 4 entered in the notch-hole 2 and the ends of the arms 42 disposed behind the ears 27 it will be seen that I have placed the complete control of the gun in the hands of a single attend ant, thereby greatly reducing the expense of this part of the work, which heretofore has been performed by a large number of attendants and with more or less .exposure to great danger.

It will be seen that I have provided simple though reliably-eflicient means for closing the notch-hole of a blast-furnace and that the various parts of my invention may be manufactured at a comparatively small expense and each assembled in its respective operative position, and while I have described the preferred combination and construction of parts deemed necessary in materializing my invention I desire to comprehend in this application all substantial equivalents and substitutes as may be considered as falling fairly within the scope of my invention.

Believing that the advantages and manner of using my invention have thus been made clearly apparent, further description is deemed unnecessary.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure V by Letters Patent, is

' 1. In a mud-gun of the character specified, a mud or clay chamber 3 having a discharging-orifice; a piston adapted to discharge the mud therefrom and a steam-cylinder having a piston-rod connected to said mud-piston and adapted to actuate the same, in combination with a mud-valve of suitable character located intermediate the mud-receptacle and discharging-nozzle thereof, substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a mud-gun for closing the notch-hole of a furnace, a mud-receptacle;-a steam-cylinder having a protruding piston-rod provided with means to force the contents of the mudreceptacle therefrom; means to swing the mudgun and cooperating parts around in position to enter the discharging-nozzle thereof into having a pair of arms adapted to engage said gun and force the nozzle thereof into the notchhole and securely hold the same against recession; a crank-arm rigidly secured to one end of said crank-shaft; a cylinder reciprocatingly mounted upon a tubular piston and an arm pivotally secured to said cylinder and crankarm, whereby when said cylinder is operated, said arm will be brought into or out of engagement with said mud-gun, substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

3. A mud-gun comprising a body portion or mud-receptacle proper 3 and a dischargingnozzle 4; means to force the contents of said parts outward through said nozzle and a valve to prevent reverse movement of the contents when the forcing means is withdrawn from its discharging position,su'bstantially as specilied and for the purpose set forth.

4:. The herein-described iron notch gun comprising a mud-receptacle having a discharging-nozzle; a steam-cylinder having a protruding piston-rod; a mud-piston secured to the end of said piston-rod and adapted to fit said mud-receptacle whereby when the piston-rod is forced outward the mud within the receptacle will be discharged through the nozzle, and a suitable valve intermediate the discharging-nozzle and receptacle adapted to prevent the mud from rentering the end of the nozzle by suction when the mud piston is restored to its initial position, substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

5. The herein-described appliance for closing or sealing the notch-hole of a blast-furnace, consisting of a mud-gun proper having a discharging-nozzle and a mud-driving piston; suitable means to operate said piston and a valve intermediate the nozzle and the main portion or body of the gun adaptedto prevent the discharged contents from reentering when the piston is restored to its initial position, as and for the purpose set forth. v

6. A mud-gun consisting of a load-holding receptacle adapted to be filled with mud, clay or the like and having a discharging-nozzle; a piston fitting within the gun and adapted to force the contents therefrom through said nozzle; suitable ineans to actuate said muddriving piston and additional means to move the gun into and from a discharging position and a crank-shaft having a pair of depending arms 42 adapted to engage the mud-gun and force the same within the notch-hole of the furnace and fluid o'perated means comprising a movable cylinder mounted .upon a stationary piston; a crank-arm secured to said crankshaft and an arm pivotally connecting said crank-arm and cylinder, to operate said crankshaft whereby said arms will be held in a locked inward position as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination with a mud-gun having a steam-actuated dischargingpiston, of a crank-shaft 4:1 having arms to engage the gun and force it into the notch-hole of the blastfurnace and fluid-controlled means to operate said crank-shaft comprisinga movable cylinder and arms pivotally connecting said crankshaft and cylinder whereby said arms will be held in a locked position to prevent the gun from withdrawal substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FELIX MCCARTHY. Witnesses:

ALDEs J. BERNI-IART, J ACOB R. EAGLE. 

